Lifting,supporting and moving device

ABSTRACT

THIS DEVICE IS AN IMPROVEMENT OR ADDITION TO THE DEVICE OF MY U.S. PAT. NO. 3,355,147 OF NOV. 28, 1967, BY INCLUDING A CARRIAGE ON WHICH MY DEVICE MAY BE SUPPORTED FOR MORE READILY MOVING THE SAME FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER AND ON   WHICH IT IS REMOVABLY MOUNTED FOR LIFTING AND MOVING THE DEVICE FROM PLACE TO PLACE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CARRIAGE.

United States Patent John B. Gormley 60 McClellan Circle, Buffalo, N.Y. 14220 708,387

Feb. 26, 1968 June 28, I971 lnventor App]. No. Filed Patented LIFTING, SUPPORTING AND MOVING DEVICE 5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 254/93, 60/52 Int. Cl B66! 3/24 Field of Search .i 60/52;

ll Z u 2' I 770 I: 1:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.355.l47 ll/l967 Gormley 254/93 Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Assistant Examiner-David R. Melton Att0meySommer, Weber and Gastel ABSTRACT: This device is an improvement or addition to the device of my US. Pat. No. 3,355,l47 of Nov. 28, 1967, by including a carriage on which my device may be supported for more readily moving the same from one location to another and on which it is removably mounted for lifting and moving the device from place to place independently of the carriage.

PATENTEUJUNZSIHH 3588.047

snm 1 OF 4 ATTORNEYS.

PATENTEU JUN28 1971 SHEET 3 OF 4 INVENT e,

RNEYS.

LIFTING, SUPPORTING AND MOVING DEVICE It is one of the objects of this invention to provide means whereby the device may be readily mounted on and removed from a carriage.

Another object is to provide modified means for actuating the device for different purposes.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side, elevation of a lifting, supporting and moving device embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof on line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 3-3, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof on line 4-4, FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 5-5, FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view thereof on line 6-6, FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation thereof showing the mechanism for mounting and disconnecting the device on a carriage. 1

FIGS. 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views thereof on line 8-8 and 9-9, FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a central sectional elevation of the lower part of the device showing the mechanism for raising and lowering the lifting means of the device.

The lifting and supporting device shown in the accompanying drawings and constituting one embodiment of my invention includes a base 12 on which the various parts of the lifting and supporting device are mounted and which has an upper part 13 which supports a series of upwardly extending concentric tubes. The parts 12 and 13 of the base constitutes a reservoir for the oil or other hydraulic fluid. The lower part 12 of the base is substantially semispherical in form from which motive fluid may be pumped to certain mechanism mounted on the upper part 13 of the .base for hydraulically actuating the parts of the lifting device. In the ordinary use of the device it is moved manually from place to place and positioned with the base 12 resting on the ground. However, at times it is desirable to transport the load supported on the lifting part of the device from place to place, and for this purpose means are provided for removably supporting the lifting device on a carriage 16.

In the particular construction shown by way of example, this carriage as shown in FIG. 2 includes a middle portion 17 which has a rearwardly extending branch 18 and two for wardly extending branches 19 which are provided with wheels or casters 20. The middle portion of the carriage includes a depression or socket 22 formed to receive the base 12 of the device, and legs or braces 24 are provided which are pivoted at their upper ends on one of the upwardly extending tubes constituting the staff of the device.

The lower ends of the legs or braces 24 are provided with means for interlocking with the carriage 16 to support the staff in upright position, and in the construction shown for this purpose the three branches of the carriage are provided with depressions or keyways 25 which are open on parts of their upper faces and which have other parts which are partly covered or provided with flanges extending over the keyways from three sides, as at 26. The lower ends of the legs 24 have feet which are in the form of keys 27 and which can enter into the open portions of the keyways and then slide lengthwise of the keyways into the partly covered portion 26 in which positions they are held against upward movement out of the keyways and out of engagement with the base. The lower ends of the legs 24 are guided in their movement by means of bracing or positioning links or arms 30 which are pivotally connected to the staff of the device, for example, by means of lugs 31 which may be formed integral with and extending outwardly from the base I2. The links or arms 30 are pivoted at 33 to the braces 24 at a short distance above the ends thereof. The whole staff must be held above the carriage while the legs are moved down far enough so that the feet are pulled toward the center. Then the staff is lowered to its resting place with the base 12 seated in the recess in the carriage, forcing the bracing legs outward into their locking positions. The grip cover then must be lowered, and vice verse.

When the braces are locked in these positions, they will be finnly held in engagement with the keyways of the carriage.

Any suitable or desired means may be provided for moving the upper ends of the braces 24 up and down along the staff of the device. For this purpose there is provided on the staff a vertically movable tube 36 having outwardly extending lugs 37 on which the upper ends of the braces 24 are pivoted, as indicated at 38 in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The tube 36 has woven grips 40 secured to the opposite ends thereof which operate in the well-known manner of contracting when pulled lengthwise and thus gripping any tube arranged within the grips. These grips cooperate with a fixed tube 45 secured to a closure member 34 secured to the upper part 13 of the base. This upper part has a threaded upper end which extends above the upper end of the upper base part 13 and is engaged by a nut 38' which moves an annular shoulder 39 of the closure member against an internal shoulder of the upper part 13 of the base. I

The fixed tube 45 is also held on the upper threaded-endtof the closure member by a nut 42 which engages an outwardly extending flange on the tube 45 and presses the same against the upstanding threaded end of the closure member 34. A slidable cover tube 41 extends about the vertically movable tube 36 and has openings or slots 43 therein through which the lugs 37 of the tube 36 extend. Thisslidable cover tube may be made in two parts 41 -& 41', one extending within the other and connected by outwardly extending keys 47 formed integral with one part and permanently connecting the two parts by extending into slots in the other part. Because of the relatively heavy forces applied at times to the staff, the tube 45 which extends concentrically within the tubes 36 and 41 has its lower end rigidly secured to the closure member to reinforce the staff, and to absorb the strain and stresses incidental to the legs 24 and braces 30.

The braces 24 may be held down in the locked position by means of the woven grips 40 which are connected with the ends of the cover tube 41 by inwardly extending flanges 44 of the cover tube 41. The upper grip 40 holds the braces or legs up in retracted position and the lower grip holds them down in locked position.

To mount the legs 24 on the base the upper structure on the staff must be held above the carriage. Then the cover tube 41 is pushed down which causes the upper grip 40 to be loosened, thus letting legs 24 swing down and toward the center of the staff sufficient to enter the lower ends of the legs into the open positions of the keyways. Then the staff is lowered so that the base 12 rests in its recess in the carriage. This spreads the legs to bring the keys into covered parts of the keyways locking them to the carriage. While so doing it is necessary to raise the cover tube 41 to loosen lower grip 40 which permits staff to descend to its correct position on the carriage.

To dismount simultaneously put upward force on the staff while lowering the tube 41, thus loosening upper grip 40 to let the legs swing toward the center and out of the keyways. When retracted the legs are held against swinging by the upper grip 40.

These legs 24 may be used independently of carriage to hold the staff in upright position. Where bracing by legs is not needed, they can be held in retracted position. The legs can be held in retracted position. The legs can be held in either position by one or the other grip 40.

The apparatus includes a cylinder or chamber 46 for a ram 50. This cylinder is in the form of a tube in which the ram reciprocates and the lower end of this tube has a threaded engagement with the threaded upper end of the closure member 34. This cylinder receives hydraulic fluid under pressure from a piston 52 actuated by means of a foot pedal. The piston receives hydraulic fluid from a chamber 53at the upper end of a cylinder 54 in which the piston reciprocates. Terminating at its lower end in the chamber 53 is a fixed cylinder 56 which contains a vertically movable valve cylinder 58 having a flange or washer 59 secured to the upper end thereof which is adapted to seat on the upper end of the tube the tube or cylinder 56. The upper end of the tube or cylinder 56 terminates in a valve chamber 60. The vertically movable cylinder 58 has a central bore which terminates at its upper end in a transversely extending hole 62 so that pressure fluid pumped by the piston 52 passes through the valve cylinder 58 into the valve chamber 60. At the upper end of the valve chamber 60 is a one-way ball check valve 64 controlling flow of passage of fluid through a passage 66 into the chamber 46 in which the ram 50 is adapted to reciprocate to move upwardly when pressure in the chamber 50 acts upon it, and to move downwardly when the pressure in this chamber is reduced. Consequently, during the upstroke of the piston 52 in the cylinder 54, pressure in the chamber 53 acts on the tubular valve cylinder 58 thru which it passes into the valve chamber 60, and due to pressure in this chamber the check valve 64 is raised to admit motive fluid under pressure into the chamber 46. There is also provided in the upper end of the valve member 58 an upwardly extending point or projection 65 which engages the valve 64 after it has been opened by pressure of fluid and holds it in open position when fluid is discharged from the cylinder 46. There is also provided in the bottom of the valve cylinder 58 an opening 69 to allow captive fluid to enter the valve cylinder while the piston 52 is on its up stroke.

When it is desired to lower the ram contained in the pressure chamber 46, the piston 52 is raised to a higher level so that the valve member 58 is moved into position in which an annular groove 70 formed in this member and provided with a hole 72 leading from this groove to the interior of this valve chamber is moved into registration with a hole or passage 74 arranged in the cylinder 56. When in this position the pressure valve 64 will be held upwardly in open position by a projection 65 so that hydraulic fluid under pressure will flow into the valve chamber 60 and then through the holes 62 in the cylinder valve member 56 and through the holes 62 in the cylinder valve member 56 and through the hole 72 and groove 70 thereon into the passage 74 in the cylinder 56. This passage communicates with an exhaust passage 76 which terminates at its lower end in the reservoir for the hydraulic fluid, spraying fluid on moving parts below.

The piston 52 is normally urged into its lowest position by means of a spring 78 acting through a cap 80 on the piston rod. This spring consequently moves the piston through a suction stroke for taking any hydraulic fluid from the bottom of the reservoir in the base 12 of the device. The fluid from this reservoir passes upwardly through an intake pipe 82, the upper end of which leads to a passage or branch of the intake chamber 53 through a valve housing 84 containing an intake valve 86 controlling the flow of fluid into the intake chamber 53. This intake tube 82 terminates at its lower end in the reservoir in the base 12 and has connected thereto a flexible tube 88 which extends close to the bottom of this reservoir. This reservoir is partly spherical and by providing the lower end of the intake tube 82 with a flexible extension or tube 88 it will be obvious that a weight 90 connected to the lower end of the flexible tube 88 will cause the tube to swing into different positions relatively to the reservoir when the same is tilted to various inclinations. Consequently fluid can be supplied to the intake tube 82 during the various inclinations of the apparatus so that when the fluid in the reservoir flows to one side or the other of the reservoir, the weighted flexible tube 88 will swing into a corresponding position, thus ensuring a supply of fluid to the intake chamber 53 regardless of the inclination of the apparatus. The lower end of the tube 82 may be held in fixed relation to the center of the hemispherical base in any suitable manner. For example, a circular plate 87 may be provided which is held in place between the parts 12 and 13 of the base and has radially extending arms. the inner ends of which hold the lower end of the tube and its flexible extension centrally in the base.

The piston 52 is preferably provided with a slot 92 extending lengthwise thereof and through which a rod 94 extends. The ends of this rod are secured to the cylinder 54 so that the movement of the piston in its cylinder 54 is limited by the engagement of the rod 94 in the slot 92.

The movement of the piston 52 is effected by means of a foot lever 95 which may be connected with the piston 52 in a manner similar to that shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,147, This foot lever is secured to one end of the shaft 96 which is journaled in and extends through the upper part 13 of the base. This foot lever imparts vertical movement to the piston 52. The part of this shaft 96 which is within the part 13 of the base, has an arm 97, the outer end of which is connected to a link 93 which is pivoted to an extension 100 of the lower end of the piston 52. The foot lever 95 is shown in FIG. 10 in the position in which the piston 52 at the upper end of the pumping stroke and the broken line 101 indicates the position of the foot lever in its lowest position in which liquid is withdrawn from the pressure chamber or cylinder 46 for lowering the ram. The working stroke of the foot lever for raising the ram 50 is between the broken line 102 to that shown in broken lines in FIG. 10. When the foot lever reaches the position shown in full lines in FIG. 10, the operator can feel and hear the contact of the piston 52 with the movable cylinder valve 58 so that he is advised not to further depress the foot lever unless he wishes to lower the ram 50.

The upper end of the ram 50 is provided with a pulley 105 over which a flexible cord or cable 106 passes, and the housing for the pulley 105 has an upward extension 107 which may be used for supporting panels or other structural members and for moving them into or holding them in the desired positions. The cord or cable 106 is attached by means of snap hooks 108 to a manipulating rod 109, preferably through hangers 110' which are adjustable lengthwise of the rod 109. One end of the manipulating rod has a snap hook or other fastening device 116 secured thereto and if desired an electric cord 112 may extend through this rod for connecting to an instrument which may be supported on this manipulating rod through an outlet 114 through which electric current may be supplied to hedge trimmer or other power device mounted on the rod 109.

Means may also be provided for releasably holding the manipulating rod in any desired angle, particularly if a heavy load is supported on the manipulating rod. These holding means may include an outer tube and an inner tube or rod 121 arranged concentrically within the tube. The upper end of the tube 120 has a cap 122 arranged thereon provided with a central aperture through which a'rope sling 124 passes, the inner ends of which are retained in the cap 122. The outer end of this sling is formed into a loop which extends around and is secured to the manipulating rod.

The lower end of the holding means is formed by the inner rod or tube 121 which in the construction shown may be formed into a fork 125, the ends of which engage in eyes or lugs 126 formed in a plate 127 suitably secured to the branch 18 of the carriage.

The length of the holding means may be varied and for this purpose 1 have provided a woven grip 130 extending about the inner rod or tube 121. A grip cover 132 extends about the grip 130 and has its lower end flanged inwardly to engage the grip 130. The upper end of the grip is secured to a short tube 134 which is secured to the lower end of the outer tube 120. Consequently when it is desired to lengthen the holding means, the outer tube 120 with the attached grip 130 and the cover 132 are moved upwardly and when released the grip will engage the inner tube or rod 121 and hold the tube 120 and rod 121 securely connected with each other.

The holding means may also be used as a handle for moving the carriage about.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A load supporting device including a hollow base having a lower part constituting a reservoir for hydraulic fluid,

a closure for the upper end of said base,

a series of concentric tubes mounted on said closure member including a tube constituting a cylinder,

a plunger mounted within said cylinder and actuated by fluid pressure in said cylinder,

means for supplying fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said cylinder including an intake tube,

a hollow tubular valve member having an internal passage through which fluid under pressure passes,

a valve chamber which receives fluid from said valve member,

a check valve which controls the flow of fluid from said valve chamber to said cylinder tube, 7

said valve member having a projection which holds said check valve in open position, and

and cooperating passages in said closure and said valve member for returning fluid from said internal passage of said valve member via a course excluding said intake tube into the upper part of said base and thence draining into said reservoir in said lower part of said base when said valve member is raised to a position in which said check valve is held open by said projection.

2. A load supporting device including a hollow base constituting a reservoir for hydraulic fluid,

a closure for the upper end of said base,

a series of concentric tubes mounted on said closure member including a tube constituting a cylinder,

a plunger mounted within said cylinder and actuated by fluid pressure in said cylinder,

means for supplying fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said cylinder,

an inlet pipe extending into said reservoir and leading to a fluid supply means, 1

the lower end of said inlet pipe being of flexible tubing having a weight at the lower end thereof,

the lower part of said hollow base being of substantially hemispheric shape, and g and means for supporting said flexible tubing at approximately the center of sad hollow base, whereby the flexible lower end of said inlet pipe will swing toward the lower part of the fluid when said reservoir is in inclined position.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said base is formed in two parts secured together,

said supporting means for said flexible tubing constituting a plate having a circular periphery which is clamped between said two parts of the base and which has radially extending arms which position said, inlet pipe centrally in said base.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which said check valve is moved into openposition by fluid pressure passing through said tubular valve member while the extension of said tubular valve member attains the position of holding said check valve open.

5. A load supporting device including a hollow base constituting a reservoir for hydraulic fluid,

a group of tubes extending upwardly from said base, including a fixed tube secured to said base,

legs for supporting said tube in upright position,

a leg supporting tube to which the upper ends of said legs are pivoted and which is movable in said fixed tube, grips on said leg supporting tube for engaging with said fixed tube to hold said legs in different angular positions, and

and a covering tube slidable on said fixed tube and having means for engaging said grips to move them into and out of locking engagement with said fixed tube.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,588,047 Dated June 28 l97l Invent0r(s) John B. Gormley It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, lines 59-60, "retracted" should read either;

" lines 5960, omit the period and cancel "The legs can be held in either position".

Column 3, line 34, "holes should read -hole-;

" lines 34-35, cancel "62 in the cylinder valve member 56 and through the hole".

Column 5, line 14, omit the word and".

Column 6, line 3, omit the word "and";

Column 6, line 5, "sad" should read -said-;

Column 6, line 28, omit the word "and".

Signed and sealed this 7th day of December 1 971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

